Burn the Night Away
by Time.Heals.Not
Summary: She had been away for quite some time, and he had never left. They both meet again, and it's just like when they were younger. Except there was one thing different...there were feelings now.
1. Prologue

We were childhood friends, growing up in orphanages on the same street as one another. I was in the all-girls orphanage that had since closed down. St. Mary's was never that pleasant of a place anyway. The rooms were plain, the girls were too feminine for me, and I had no friends within those walls. None that stuck anyway.

He went to the boys' home across the street. The conditions weren't much better, and aside from the numerous teases and sometimes a fight, he could say that his time there was mediocre at best. He had a couple friends here and there, but his true fascination was with the girl across the street.

When allowed, they played together. They tried to make sense of the world they live in. John knew his parents had died when he was young, but Lorelei couldn't tell you what happened to her parents, partially because all she knew was that they gave her up. The duo grew up to have a mutual bitterness towards the world, and once they were released from their 'homes', they were separated and constrained to very occasional e-mails.

John joined the force. It took up the majority of his time, and sealed his destiny to protect Gotham among Gotham's finest. Lorelei on the other hand fled Gotham, fled her past. She became an communications specialist after an internship that made her travel the world, yet she finds her job forcing her back to the one place she never wanted to be.


	2. Prayer of the Refugee

'_How awkward'_ I thought bitterly, sitting in the corner of the bar, away from everyone, yet close enough to the door for me to make a quick exit if things got too rowdy. It was weird that I am in a sports bar. It was weird that there were so many off duty cops there. It was weird that I am in Gotham again. The situation was just weird.

I dropped my gaze down to my worn tennis shoes and jeans. I wasn't accustomed to being dressed so simply out in public. My job required me to dress exquisitely, calling for business attire, and I usually lounged around my home in sweats and a t-shirt. However today I was sporting a pair of white Converse, blue jeans, a white v-neck with a black cardigan over top. My hair was not in the nice tidy curls nor was it stick straight. The brunette waves fell to my shoulders. My blue eyes glanced around the bar particularly nervously.

I wasn't sure why I had agreed to meet him here. I sent him a rather ambiguous e-mail a few days before about how I was in Gotham again and extended an invitation for coffee sometime. That invitation was warped into me meeting him after his shift at this particular sports bar. He probably didn't want it to be awkward just the two of us, but to say I felt uncomfortable was an understatement.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but another group entered the bar, laughter coming with them. They obviously were younger guys; newer to the force, but then a glimmer of recognition caught my eye. Those brown eyes, that facial structure, those freaking dimples. _John._

He began to scan the room, looking at each individual until his curious brown eyes connected with my blue. The result caused him to smile as he hopped into the chair across from he, "It's been a while," he greeted.

"It has indeed," I agreed, "You've grown up since the last I saw you."

"I could say the same about you, Lore." The nickname seeping into conversation again, "Though it has only been a few years."

"Right," I agreed awkwardly, a silence settling over us, "It's been five years, hasn't it?"

He nodded, "Sorry, I'm being totally awkward right now."

"I'm not helping that," I responded quietly, "How are you liking the job?"

"I love it," Blunt answer. "Makes me feel like I'm actually doing something, you know?"

"Yes," I sighed, "My job is not nearly as interesting as yours is though."

"You're in business, right?"

"Communications specialist is my title," I murmured, eyeing the group of guys that seemed to be inching closer to our table, "Traveling a lot, though I seem to be staying here for a while."

"How long is a while?"

"Forever," I muttered plainly, "Who are they?"

"Oh," he glared at the group, "They're some of the guys on the force."

"Invite them over here," I urged, a little desperate to try to make this whole ordeal less awkward.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, please." He gestured for them to come over, and instantaneously several chairs filled around the table.

"So who is the pretty lady, Blake?" one of them asked, eyeing me.

"My name is Lorelei," I retorted.

"How'd you get stuck with such a hard head like John here?" Another one asked.

"We grew up together. Actually, I feel bad for him if all of his friends are very prying people," They stared at me blankly before I cracked a smile, "Apparently no one has heard of a joke before."

And instantly the mood lightened. There was laughter as I was introduced to the handful of people whose names I couldn't remember. Did that make me a bad person? It was all a bit too much to take in. The hours winded down and it was particularly late. I bit my lip, eyeing my watch.

"I think I better get going," I said, standing up, "I have work in the morning. It was nice meeting you all," I said with a smile.

"I'll walk you home," John volunteered, standing up with me.

"Um," I sighed, as he followed me outside. It was a lot colder than I had anticipated. I could visibly see my breath whenever I exhaled. It made me seem like a chain smoker.

"So where do you live?" John asked, focusing his brown eyes on me.

"Um," I hesitated, "A hotel…It's a ways away."

"And you were going to walk?" John asked incredibly, "Lorelei, you of all people know how the streets are here. Why would you have walked?"

"I guess I wasn't really thinking…"

"I'll say," he paused, "I'll drive you. Come on," he put his arm around my shoulders to steer me the other way, "My car is over here."

It was a beat up car, nothing too special about it, though I wasn't sure what I had been expecting. I mumbled the directions to my hotel as we drove in silence for the most part.

"Any leads on any apartments here? The hotel has to be expensive," John said pointedly, and my stomach dropped.

"Um, no. I haven't been accepted anywhere I've applied," I sighed, "I got my last rejection before I met you at the bar. The market really sucks here, and the hotel is expensive. The company stopped paying for it a few days ago."

"Oh," John was paused, as if unsure of what to say, "I'm sure something will come up."

"Yeah," I nodded, "I have a couple more places left to try…"

He pulled up alongside the hotel I was staying in. It was rather nice, although the street wasn't nearly as bustling as someone of my stature would hope for at night, for the lights were pretty dim on the street itself.

"So, um, this was fun," I said softly, "We should definitely do it again."

"I agree. I'll shoot you a call when I'm free next, okay?"

"Sounds good," Suddenly, I felt his arms pull me into an embrace.

"It's really great to have you back, Lore."

"You too, John."


	3. Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

I found myself walking down the street towards the coffee shop on the corner. I was meeting John there for my lunch break. My black heels clicked against the sidewalk and I smoothed my black pencil. My dusty blue shirt had flowing ruffles that were partially hidden under my black jacket. I nervously pushed open the door, ringing the little bell to signal my entrance.

The shop was very quaint. There was a few people at some of the small tables, and I turned to see John appear from the corner, "There you are," he greeted, "I thought you got lost."

"Not quite," I chuckled, "I got released from lunch late today. Was distracted with work stuff."

"Well, coffee?" he asked, leading me to the front of the line.

"Um," I bit my lip, eyeing my choices, "Can I just have a…uh…small chai tea latte?"

"And you sir?" the barista asked John, and his response was totally predictable, "Small black."

"Why am I not surprised?" I asked, and he shrugged.

As I reached for my wallet, John already had his pulled out and was handing money for both of our drinks. "Hey!"

"Hey what?" he asked with a laugh, "I invited you at for coffee the least I could do is pay."

"Fine," I said, sitting down on one of the comfy green leather armchairs in the corner of the store, "How has work been?"

"Oh, fine, been a couple robberies. Really weird places too," his voice trailed off, "How about for you? How's the apartment hunt going?"

"Work is fine. Nothing too interesting going on as of right now," I sipped at my latte, "Unfortunately, I'm out of options on the apartment front. I either can't afford them or I'm not a suitable tenant for whatever reason."

The hotel was getting expensive. I'm not sure how much longer I can live there and keep feeding myself. I was secretly thankful that John had been his normal chivalrous self and paid for our drinks so I might be able to scrounge enough for the cab ride home.

"What do you mean?" John inquired, a bit unsettled by my lack of housing.

"I'm out of options…if I can't find someplace soon, I'm going to have to quit and find work someplace else," I sighed, "Gotham doesn't want me here. Always knew that."

"You can stay with me," John blurted suddenly, "I mean, I have a second bedroom…no one is using it. Rent's fairly cheap…What do you say?"

"When can I move in?" I knew it wasn't my best idea, but I could trust John. I may not have seen him for several years prior to my move back to Gotham, but I knew I could trust him. My gut told me it was a good idea, and that million dollar grin with the dimples was enough reason for me to keep agreeing to anything he suggested.

"When is your next day off?" he asked.

"Tomorrow," I stated plainly.

"Excellent, how much stuff do you have?"

"Not a whole lot," I admitted, "I have to wait for my next paycheck to go buy myself some furniture. I had hoped I would've found an apartment sooner…"

"Understandable, well I can pick you up tomorrow and we can get what you do have into the apartment, okay?"

I nodded, "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much."

"Can't leave a friend stranded!" he exclaimed with a laugh, "So text you tomorrow afternoon to figure out moving stuff?"

"Definitely," I said with a smile, "Good ol' Gotham. Still as awful as it used to be?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"No, things have gotten…better," he paused, "Honestly, the robberies have been the only unsolved crime the past few years."

"I suppose you're the reason for that?" I laughed, but my smile faltered as he shook his head, "What's been going on?"

"We had this…vigilante…He was trying to help, but no one understood that…But anyways, he brought hope to this city. We got a new DA. He was…ambitious. Had all kinds of plans for Gotham, but they fell apart…and he died, but his memory lives on, you know?" John sighed, "We have put so many behind bars because of his memory, but that vigilante was the one who killed him."

"Wow," she breathed, though she felt as if he was simplifying the whole situation, "But at least now you can put away people easier, right?" John nodded, "My job isn't that interesting in comparison."

"Yeah, what is it exactly that you do?" John inquired with a smirk as I glared at him.

"Communications specialist," I muttered, "I write press releases and things like that. Not the most thrilling of jobs, but at least it rolls in the money."

"Anything interesting in the market for you?"

"I suppose Dent Day…I never really understood what it was, but now that you explained it to me. I'm supposed to piece together information for the marketing department," I looked at my watch on my wrist before sighing, "I better get back to work."

I stood up, straightening my skirt some before turning to John, "This was nice."

"Yeah it was," he agreed, "Here, I'll walk you back to work."


End file.
